


The Visit

by Kakasakufangirl



Category: The Breakfast Club (1985)
Genre: Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Father Figures, Major Character Injury, Psychological Trauma, Sad with a Happy Ending, Verbal Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-22
Updated: 2015-08-22
Packaged: 2018-04-14 15:22:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4569492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kakasakufangirl/pseuds/Kakasakufangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Principal Vernon has had the straw with John's bullshit, he decides expel him. He needs his parents to know so that the troublemaker doesn't show up at school causing trouble for him so he goes to the boys house to give his parents the notice.</p><p>When he gets there he seen a whole different side to the 'troublemaker' then he initially thought he would be like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Visit

**Author's Note:**

> I just got done watching the Breakfast Club and I had to do this after watching the closet scene.

Richard Vernon shook his head as he took another left into a bad neighborhood. He could see kids younger than the students at his school hanging out with people older then them. He sighed. It was late and he was tired after a days work of sighing documents and dealing with a certain troublemaker named John Bender. The boy had no respect for himself and others, only for his snot noised friends who were just as bad as him but still he was worse.

Unlike any other day, the boy took it too far this time, he decided that it would be funny if he spray painted the names of female staff teachers he'd have sex with. It was about two hundred ninety five dollars worth of damage. He didn't care about the money, he just wish that the boy had used better use of his time. Then he had to assure the female staff that they weren't being stalked by some creep.

He knew that it was Bender who had did it from the look he gave his buddies. Plus he had video evidence of the boy spray painting on the side of the building during the early hours of the morning. They were all congratulating him like he won an award for best prank. One of the boys, if he could call him a boy, didn't even go to this school yet he always saw him hanging out before and after school. Richard would head in Bender's groups direction and he separate from the group. Bender would always smile and ask him if there was a problem with Richard would respond with a snark comment about it not happening again.

The boy was walking himself straight into jail with the path he was taking. He thought by scaring him in that closet that one Saturday he would convince him that being a tough guy got you nowhere. That didn't stop him from sneaking out and back into the Library where he got the rest of the 'Breakfast Club' high, or at least that's what they called themselves. He should have really listened when John said his dope was in Brain's pants. He was being honest there the one time, it makes him wonder what else he told the truth about.

A sickening feeling over came him as he continued to drive down the street. He finally made it to the right address as said so on the sheet of paper. Richard looked at the tethered house with a frown. On the lawn stood a few lawn ornaments that had long since been molded over. The garage door was slightly crack. There were so many things wrong with this house that went against health regulations.

The front porch lights where on though they flickered slightly. A man with a scarcely beard sat on a chair looking as mean and evil as he could. He had on a dirty white tee-shirt with blue jeans with no shoes. He seemed to be in a pissed off mood. In one hand, the man held a cigar and in the other he had a bottle of beer.

Richard sighed as he got out of the car. He walked along the grass up to the porch where the gruff looking man, who he suspect was Mr. Bender, frowned at him. "Mr. Bender, I'm guessing." He said suggesting towards the man.

A cold huff was what he got in response. When the man didn't acknowledge nor disagree with him he continued. "I'm Richard Vernon, your son, John Bender's principal." He said extending his hand. The man made no move to shake it so he retracted it.

'Okay Vernon, nows not the time to be nice. It's serious time.' He thought to himself as he stood back into his spot.

"Yeah, what of it? Did my good for nothing son do something?" He said. A part of Richard frowned at the words 'good for nothing' bit but he ignored the comment.

"Um, yes. Unfortunately he did, your son was caught outside on school grounds and he spray painted the building with a few female teachers names on it. They feel afraid of coming to school because of the little prank he pulled-" before he could finish Mr. Bender shouted.

"Hey boy, get your ass down here NOW!" The man stood up to his full height which he was a lot taller than Richard who didn't feel intimidate him at all. The sound of footsteps stumping down on the floor echoed in the air as a boy with a black tee-shirt and dark blue jeans stepped towards the screen door. His black still toed shoes practically rammed into the hardwood floor. The boy didn't look happy to see his father but he held a somewhat surprised face at Richard who just gave a plain look.

"Get out here now boy." The sound of his fathers voice broke the two out of their five second staring contest. Slowly John stepped from behind the safety of the screen door and out on the porch with his father and his principal.

"Yeah Dad?" He said in his most sarcastic voice he could manage.

"Don't get smart with me boy." The warning tone in the man's voice was enough to stop the sarcastic tone from leaving his mouth again. Mr. Bender leaned against the wall of his porch and pointed at Richard. "This man here says he's your principal and that he caught you old spray painting graffiti on the school." As he said that the boy viable tensed up as if he was getting ready for a fight.

"Normally, we just suspend students for ten days for that kind of behavior but since John has a record of doing these types of things in the past," Richard said as he glared at John who glared back at him, "...well, I cannot have anymore of this behavior, it is unacceptable. I came here to inform you, that your son is being expelled." As he said that Bender visibly froze.

"Is this true." The man fixated his stare at the teen who didn't move from his spot.

John looked down at his feet as his father waited for an answer which he knew was a bad idea. He looked back up at his teacher and silently cursed the man. "Yeah," he said getting brave as he readied for the blow that was about to come, "I did it, so what? It's not like your gonna charge me with anything are you, Dick?"

Richard frowned at John as he opened his mouth to say something. Mr. Bender, on the other hand, had other plans. He forced out a laugh as he backhanded his son against the screen door. In front of Richard's eyes. The man was at a lost for words as John stared up at him with eye that shouted at him to go away.

John didn't want to be pitted by a man like Richard. To him, Richard wouldn't care if his father beat him black and blue but he was wrong. Blood trickled down his noise as he tried to wipe it away. His father grabbed him by the back of his neck and stood him up.

"What did I say? WHAT DID I SAY? I said if you got into trouble one more time I would break your fucking legs off!" as he said that he rammed John into the wall and threw him across the porch to the other side. Mr. Bender smiled at the sight of his son spooled out on the concrete floor.

John looked down at the ground as tears flooded his eyes. He wasn't going to cry not in front of him. Not while he could make it worse. He didn't like showing weakness. Especially not in front of Vernon. He remembered back in the closet how much the man wanted him to hit him, how much Vernon wanted John to throw the first punch so he could beat the crap out of him. No one would believe him when he would say he egged him on. He actually thought that Vernon would beat the shit out of him there. No one would know, no one would care because he was a lair with no respect.

He didn't dare look to Dick for help. He didn't want to drag him into his crazy life then he already was into. The man would probably join in and have a field day of beating the crap out of him. His Dad and Vernon could take turns and see who hit the hardest. Hopefully he would pass out before his Dad even got started.

"You useless ugly stupid good for nothing son of a bitch!" As he finished his little rant he moved over towards where the boy landed.

Richard finally snapped out of his dazed faze to stand in front of the man. He put a good distance between John and his father and he was not going to let him get any close. "I think that's enough." Richard said with more power behind his voice than he felt.

The angry look that appeared on John's fathers' face was not a kind one. He didn't like the way Vernon spoke to him like he knew more than him just because he graduated at some fancy school. Mr. Bender glared at the man before he spoke. "You think you can come by here and talk to me how you wanna talk. This ain't your house, you're on my property so that means I can kick your ass three days to Sunday."

"Now get out my way so I can teach this boy here a lesson. Or do you wanna end up just like him."

For a second John actually thought he was going to move but Vernon stood his ground. "I think the only place I'm going is to stand right here in front of you and John." Richard said calm but sternly. His eyes held a determination that John had never seen.

His dad didn't take that well as he reared his fist back and made it collide with Richard's face. His head flew backwards a little but he didn't move. His lip bled as he spat out the good that oozed from his busted lip. "You just don't listen do you." As he said that he did it again only this time he hit him below the eye. When the man refused to move Mr. Bender continue to hit him. He even kneed him in the gut which caused the man to fall forwards to his knees.

"Did you think that a little man like you was gonna take on a big man like me? I'll fucking kill you." Mr. Bender said with a snarl.

Richard spat out the metallic taste that filled his mouth and glared up at the man. When he pulled back his fist again this time his son stepped in. "Dad stop! Your gonna kill him!" He said as he tried to keep his father off of him.

Never in his life had he seen his father put his hand on someone other than himself and his mother. To be honest it scared him more than anything. He hated Dick but he didn't want him dead.

His father just pushed him away as if he was nothing. When he came back to stop him again this time John received a punch to the face and then to jaw which caused him to fall over next to Richard.

"Your pathetic! You and this boy," John groaned as Richard checked his wounds, when he saw the dark and ugly bruise that was forming around his eye he completely lost it, "to hell with you both, useless pieces of-."

Richard grabbed the man buy the front of his shirt and punched him directly in the face. In shock Mr. Bender reached for his nose. "You hit me..." Just as he was about to throw his own punch at Richard, he tackled him down and continued to ouch him over and over and over. The only thing that stopped him from killing him was the sound of John's panicked voice as he scrambled to get him off.

"Stop! Stop it!" He said as he finally managed to pull Dick off his father. He moved away from the man who laid there flat on his back. John looked in between the two with fear spreading across his face. "Is he dead?" He asked. Richard couldn't help but notice how child like he sounded when he asked him.

A small groan escaped Richard's lips as he stood up. "No but he won't be putting his hands on you for a long time. Come on, let's go." He said as he offered his hand to John who gave him an inincredulous look. "Where are we going?" The boy asked, not completely sure he wanted to go anywhere with a man who can knock out his father.

As he took the offered hand, Richard helped him to his feet. "To the police station to file a domestic abuse on your father."

John stopped in his tracks and looked down at the ground. His mind had to process what just happened with what was about to happen. Dick, the person who wanted to make his life as miserable as he did his, knocked out his father and now wanted to help him put his father in jail.

He had to be dreaming. This whole thing was a disaster to begin with. His father hit Dick first so he could claim self defense but the man just punched him to death. Plus the police and him didn't get along that well, with him being a Bender and all. His family did have a record in the most amount of charges on them. Half weren't even filed yet, like the domestic abuse charges his mom was gonna put on his father. The man somehow found out and beat her until she harboured a broken leg and a fractured rib.

He didn't know whether it was the best idea of getting in the car with his number one enemy. On the other hand staying with his father until he woke up wasn't the greatest of ideas either. The man would be on full anger mode and John was the only one he could take his frustrations out on. He'd be mad and looking for blood.

"Are you coming or not Bender?" Dick said with a impatient look on his face. With one last look at his father he turned towards the car and got in. "Do you have a mother or any family member you could stay with for the time being?" Richard asked John who still seemed to just now be adjusting to everything. Slowly John shook his head.

"No Ma' left my Dad a mouth ago when he started to drink more." The silent 'and me' was unheard as Richard drove to the nearest station. The realisation olthat his mom really left him finally hit John as he stared out the window. He finally just cracked. John turned towards his principal with tears falling down his eyes and a fake smile on his face. "Ain't that about a bitch?" He said.

  
  
~ • ~  


  


Richard sighed as he stared at the policemen through the glass window. They were busy handling the situation with John's drunken father who would be on more accounts than child abuse and domestic violence charges, resisting arrest would be one of them. He knew one thing and that was that man was never going to see the light of day ever again. Currently a couple of cops were chasing him down. He had a buddy in the police department named Dan Pent that told him that even if Mr. Bender got the best damn layer in the country, that bastard was going down no matter what.

The only problem now was what to do with John Bender. He had hoped that there were some nearby relatives in the area that the boy could go live with to finish out the rest of his school year so at least he could finish. He knows that once Child Protective Services gets a hold of him then he's not going back anywhere, anytime soon. The boy would probably run away just so he didn't have to move to a different state than his friends, than his little breakfast buddies. Richard would hate to admit but he was actually starting to turn around in his grades after that one Saturday with those four and he was pretty sure that he was actually dating Clair Standish instead of harassing her.

John, Brian Johnson and Andrew Clark would be seen around talking to each other and hanging out and even with one of their friends from their social group would go to tease them, one of the boys would stop them. He even heard from one of the students that John took Allison to one of his parties. It was progress that no man his age could ever make on the kid and taking him away wasn't going to help.

If by the end of the day, after they captured his father and had him in custody, no family members came to collect him then he'd be Child Services problem. Which at one point in time he would have gladly hand him over but after today, after what he saw, he's no sure if he even wants the boy to leave his sight.

He sighed. He was only a man and there was nothing he could do about it, not really. Even if he did, well no that would be extremely awkward on both their ends. John didn't like him, he didn't like John but they did have something in common, neither of them like his father and that was one thing they could agree on.

John, who had passed out an hour ago after being checked out by the ambulance, had fallen asleep upright in the chair. He had a shock blanket wrapped around him. He wasn't in shock, he was just cold having come out of the house in practically nothing. Richard offered his jacket to the boy but he made a comment about not being caught dead in his wardrobe.

Richard was tired and he just wish he could go home but he didn't want to leave John alone with people who barely new him. He knew that his friend would take care of him but the man would beat the shit out of John if the boy started to act up. He didn't know how to handle kids like Richard did and he'd been dealing with them his whole entire life.

John would be afraid, well not that he'd show it but deep down Richard knew he'd be afraid. Ever since he saw him near tears in the car he can't help the feeling to protect him. No kid should suffer like that. Especially to someone like his father. Not when he could help. He had always wanted to help his students live their lives to the best of their abilities. That's why he's so hard on them, he wants them to succeed so they have a chance to change.

John huffed in his sleep. Richard looked over at the kid and saw how peaceful he looked. He looked like he hadn't had a decent nights rest in a while with out worry whether or not his father would beat the crap out of him for it.

His hair kept falling down into his face causing him to scrunch it up. He seemed to be very uncomfortable at the moment by the way he kept moving in his sleep. Richard hesitated before he pushed his hair back from John face which stopped all movement from the boy. He actually relaxed from Richard's touch. The man frowned inwardly.

Across the room he coulfld see his friend's coworkers pointing and laughing at him as the other officers mimicked his movements. Richard voiced a 'fuck you' towards their direction and removed his hand from the boys head. He looked away only to find himself staring at a bunch of female officers who awed at him. All of a sudden he felt very uuncomfortable in the station and really just wanted to go home.

That would be a problem seeing as he still had his student with him. The expel papers were still in his bag, now that he thought about it. He opened it up and ripped them in half. What's the point of it now?

A small groan escaped John's lips as he sat up. He rubbed his eyes to get the sleep out of them and then looked around. A confused look appeared on his face as he did. "Where am I?" He asked tiredly.

"The police station. They're still on the hunt for your father and until they find him they're not letting us go." Richard said.

John just slouched in his chair as the man finished talking. "If I knew what kind of trouble would this would all caused I wouldn't have gotten in your car. Man I just want to go home."

"Well if you wouldn't have gotten you butt in my car I would have dragged you into it. There was no way in hell I was going to let you stay there with your father. That bastard doesn't deserve to just go to jail and I hope that one day this will all come back to bite him in the ass."

John gave him a strange look and for a while neither of them spoke. It was awkward to have his principal sitting right next to him. Especially when hours ago the said man just knocked out his dad. It made him feel weak just watching him do it. He could've did something about it, he could handle himself but just being there with his dad made him want to leave. His father was drunk and had a bad day. There was no one but John to take his anger out on.

"Thanks for uh, sticking it to the man...umm." John tried, he actually tried to sound sincere when he spoke to Richard. It was the best he was going to get from him but hey, he was making progress.

"Is that like some unresolved guilt you have inside you and that's why you helped me? Or are you getting something out of this?" John asked curiously. He actually wanted to know the answer, he wasn't just bullshitting to rile Richard up.

"What? Of course not! I didn't do this because I felt guilty for not believing you or to get anything from you or anyone else. I did this because you were there and he was hitting you. Any average citizen would've done the same." Richard said. He was shocked that John thought so low of him. He knew he wasn't the best guy in the world but he wasn't just going to leave him there.

"Really..."

"Yes."

"Usually they just watch." John stated honestly. Anytime his mom was getting the teeth kicked out of her people would watch silently or whisper as he father hit her. Same with him, if his father was out in public, he would get punched and hit like he was the shit his father gets on the bottom of his shoe.

Richard was flabbergasted. How could someone just like a child be beat? Just let someone do that to them. Sure John wasn't a good kid but that didn't mean he was a bad one either. He still could be help he just needed the right person. It wasn't going to be him, because he and John didn't get along. Maybe Child services would put him somewhere close to the school where he can finish and still hang out with his friends.

"Well I just want you to know that not all people are like that. There are some who are brave enough to step in, some are just scared of what might happen to them." Richard said calmly. He really didn't want John to think that the whole world was out to get him, if he didn't think that already. "John...I just want you to know that-"

Suddenly the door to their right, which was the front door, burst open with a bunch of police officers struggling to hold down John's father. Mr. Bender turned and twisted in their grasp as they brought him into the compound. He was shouting profanities at each and every face that he saw. When he saw them his face twisted into something ugly. Richard stood up to shield John away from the look of his father. The man stood over his student like an umbrella shielding him from the rain. The boy's face had nothing but fear and worry on it as he father crowd got closer.

"You son of a bitch! Your trash! Useless! I should have Never slept with that bitch of a woman and made you! Your a mistake, I would have a better life if SHE had just gotten the abortion! ASSWIPE! BASTARD! YOUR CANCER! I wish the fucking condom that I used didn't fucking brake! NO GOOD FREELOADING! Bastard!" John just stared at the ground with no expression on his face. He tried to move past Richard while his father was bypassing them causing his father to get a hold of him.

John's father pulled him up by his shirt. His breath reeked of alcohol. "You ain't nothing! You ain't ever gonna be nothing! You sack of shit!" The officers yanked at the man's arm to pull him off of John who didn't say anything as he father ranted at him. It was short lived as Richard pulled the boy from the man, his shirt ripping a little.

Mr. Bender moved towards the two as Richard moved John behind him. "You think you can take MY BOY, FROM ME! I gonna kill you..."

"Listen to me you sack of shit. It's people like you who sicken me. You take the lives of innocents and turn them into the same thing you are, creating more just like you." He said standing next to the man. The police tried to hold him back but his friend told them to let him through. "You are a heartless man and even more of a fool. You abuse people you deem worthless and pathetic but just remember those same people will be the future and all this will came back at you ten times worst."

"Oh, what are you doing threatening me, boy?" John's father faked making a scared face.

"No. It's a promise. Or do you want me to knock you out again, boy?" Richard said stepping closer to him. The man snorted before the officers pulled him towards the cells.

When Richard turned around John was gone. He looked at the ground to see the blanket on the floor. He picked it up and headed towards the front door when his friend stopped him. "Hey Rich, just want to let you know that Child Services will be by here shortly to take the kid off your hands. So you should tell him."

The man's heart stopped as he realised how soon the boy would be leaving. "Yeah...thanks." A hand stopped him in his tracks.

"You don't sound too happy about it."

"I am, I really am. He'll get a new chance at life but..."

"But? What? You sure your okay with this kid going, I mean your practically crying out your eyes for him." Dan stated jokingly.

"I said I'm fine." Richard said as he began to open the door only to once again be stopped by his friend. "Just for the record Rich, I think that you'd do a hell a lot better with that kid than any foster home would. And you still can you know...if you want."

"That is out of the question. John Bender won't come with me. He'll think that I'll try to beat him or something."

"Come on man, don't beat yourself up for something you didn't know." Dan placed a comforting hand on Richard's shoulder which didn't help at all.

"I should've." He said as he shrugged it off and walked out into the cold fall air. Luckily Bender was still here as he sat on the steps. Richard was just surprised he didn't run. He could run but he wouldn't get very far. The police would just catch him and pick him up only to bring him right back here, just so Child Services could deal with him.

John was a pretty smart kid despite his lack of showing it. So he had to have known that someone was going to pick him up. The only thing that was bothering Vernon's mind is, why didn't he run. Maybe he thought it was pointless in doing so which it would be but it still was unlike Bender just to sit down and take it.

Bender was a fighter. He fought with him on a daily basis. He fought with his father, with the drug dealers when they tried to screw him over, he'd fight anyone that stood in his way so why is he just sitting there. Once again John had managed to amaze Richard.

He didn't say anything to the teen. He just covered him up with the blanket and sat next to him. Neither of them spoke to each other. Each caught up in their own mindset. Whatever was going on in John's head, that caused him to stay, Richard wanted to know what it was.

Maybe the thought of seeing Clair Standish one more time or saying goodbye to the Breakfast Club. Whatever it was Vernon would never know because John was the kind of person who if they were hurt they wouldn't tell you, they'd just keep taking the pain until it was over.

When John finally did speak, he kept surprising Richard. "I know I said this already but thanks Dick for going up against my old man for me. I uh, appreciate it." The man just gave him a speechless look. "Look I'm not the best at words but you don't need to go all pity party on me. I can handle it."

"It's not that, it's just weird hearing you thank me for something..."

"Well don't get use to it old man, I ain't gonna be here for long." As he said that they both stopped talking. It was awkward how much Richard would miss the constant filed report from other staff that the boy was misbehaving.

"You know, it doesn't have to be that way." He said trailing off in his words. The boy was smart enough to figure it out so he didn't finish the sentence. John scrunched up his face at the man and frowned.

A subtile scoff escaped his lips as he stood up and started walking in the other direction. He wanted to be anywhere but here right now. Richard quickly hopped up to explain himself but John beat him too it. "You want me to come live with you! No way man, I got too much respect for that!" He said as he pointed a finger at Vernon.

"You don't understand!" Richard pleaded with him. He grabbed the boy's arm to stop him hut that just pissed him off more.

"Oh I understand alright, you want me to be your little BITCH just because you stopped a couple of beatings that I could've handled!"

"This isn't like before, I have all of the facts now and I'm not going to hit you. I'm not like your father."

"Bullshit Dick and you know it! That's what they all say! First it's 'I'll never hit you' line and then next thing you know, I have your fist in my face and a black eye just like this one!" He said as he pointed to his swollen eye.

John was furious by the way Vernon was acting like a month ago he didn't threaten him. "What happen to 'You think anyone's gonna believe you? You think anyone is gonna take your word over mine? I'm a man of respect around here. They love me around here. I'm a swell guy. You're a lying sack of shit and everybody knows it?' What happened to that Dick? Oh now that you've learned my tragic life story, all of a sudden you want to help. To hell with ya'!" He said waving him off. "I don't need you, I don't need anybody!"

"It doesn't matter about your tragic life. There are millions out there who have suffered ten times worst of a life as yours. What does matter is that I'm here and I want you to have a better life than what you started with so you can better yourself!" Richard shouted back at him. "Are you afraid of what your friends are gonna say? Because it won't matter if your in a different state, in a different home! They'll still be here and you'll just be the kid that got put in foster care to them!"

"Don't talk about my friends like you know them 'cause you don't! You and your respected buddies all say and think the same things about me and my friends. Their loser, their pathetic, they'll grow up only to live in and out of jail! That's all you and your buddies think! You adults never stop to think to ask, "Hey, why do you have a bruise on you neck, it wasn't there before?" All you do is judge and you never ask yourself could what I do actually effect what happens in this kids life! Well it does!" John shouted.

"Well I can't help you if you don't tell me, what's going on!" Immediately Richard regretted his choice of words.

"So what your saying is, this is my fault, right?" He questioned the man.

"Instead of causing problems, you could've just told me."

John just pushed him. "You know what, fuck you!" As he said that he pushed him again. "Fuck you! You don't know me! You never stopped to get to know me! So stop trying to acting like a fucking saint!" This time he shoved Vernon's against the wall only for the man to grab his arm.

"Get away from me." John yelled.

As John struggled to get away from him, Richard struggled to hold the teen down who thrashed in his arms. "Stop! Stop it Bender!" As Richard got a hold of the boy's other arm he finally managed to subdued him enough that only his body and legs could cause him trouble. "Stop, your just hurting yourself!"

"Get away from me!" John shouted as Vernon forced him to the ground. His arms were behind his back so he only hand use of his legs. He tried to kick him off but that plan failed so he started to thrash against the concrete. Richard, not wanting the boy to get hurt let go of his arms and wrapped his arm around his neck. Not enough to hurt him but enough to kept him still.

"Get OFF of me!" John yelled as he tried to escape.

"No, because if I do you'll run and the police will chase you down and bring you right back here." Richard said as John elbowed him in his sides.

"What do you care? I'm just a low life, a bum, if put in your words and I'll probably end up right next to that bastard of a father of mine to rot." Bender said as he twisted his body to escape. When that didn't work he stopped. His body hurt from old wounds and bruises. He stopped struggling and hoped that Dick would let him go.

Richard did, now that he ceased his movement. They both sat there tired and hurt from the events that happened. Richard got up to go pick up the blanket that got left there after their little scuffle. He picked it up and offered it to John who jerk away from him in response. When the boy refused to accept it Richard wrapped it around him anyway and plopped down on the cold concrete.

John continued to look forward angrily as if whatever he was looking at was Richard. The boy didn't daily anything to him, just sat there waiting.

"Just let me go. I'll get more respect if the cops have to drag me back here." John said. He briefly turned his head to glare at Richard who just stared intensely back at him. Vernon shook his head slowly which furthered the boy's anger.

"I can't let you do that Bender."

"Why because you don't want your cop friend to waste precious resources on me?" John said snarky.

"No because it goes against my code." John laughs hysterically at that. Before he could made a comment, Vernon changed the subject. He placed his hand on the boy's shoulder who shook it off in dismissal. "Look respect is a powerful thing. It's the one thing that really can't be bought. When you have respect for someone you become willing to do things for that person because you've done something special to get it. The one thing that stops people from getting it is that respect has to be earned. You have to do something really important to earn someone's respect and in order to earn it you have to have trust."

John frowned but he listened to what the man had to say. "If you come live with me that means in some shape, way or form you have enough trust in me that I won't harm you. When that trust builds up long enough you usually end up respecting someone. Right?" He said directing his question to the boy. John, didn't say anything in response to that. "If you trust me enough to come live with me I will learn to respect you because of it. Because you had enough courage to put your trust in me and I won't ever let you down."

Bender just rolled his eyes. "John..." Richard said calmly which was weird for John since Vernon never used his first name unless he was scolding him, "I know it hard to trust someone who threatened you. Who would take the side of your enemy before your just because they don't have the whole story but if you treat an enemy like a friend, that enemy just might become your friend."

"What I'm trying to say is...I know I'm not a good guy but I'm not a bad guy either. I'm just trying to help you in a way that you might not think is best for you but it's what I think what's best for you at this moment. You have friends here, who care about you and if some of those friends don't want to hang around you anymore because you live with me then they aren't real friends. Find people who truly care about you, son. And I don't think putting you in foster care is going to help you."

John didn't say anything which made Richard a little nervous. "John?"

John continued to stared out at whatever he was looking at. He didn't utter a word to his principal who grew nervous with every passing minute the boy didn't answer. He'd been through hell his whole life, how could this one person made it any worse. He wondered if Clair would still date him after this or if Allison, Brain or Andy would still like him. He wondered if the gang would even hang out with him anymore. Probably not but fuck them anyway. He turned towards the man with a expressionless look on his face. "... Okay..."

Richard nodded slowly and place his hand on the boy's shoulder who this time didn't shrug it off. "Okay...let's go back inside, yeah." The two stood up and headed back inside the station.


End file.
